Crystal River current., 1887-04-23
come among us.


PROFESSOR A. LAKES. of the State
| School of Mines, has our thanks for u
copy of the schools annual report
of the Field Work and Analyses Of
Colorado, which includes notes Of in
tcrest upon the resources of iron in the
state, the mining interests of the San
Juan, the oil fields of Canan City and
coal resources of Trinidad and Crested
Butte, with an allusion to the Crystal
and Grand river coal fields in which
our marble ledge is mentioned. We
publish an extract contained in the
professors report which is of impQr-
tance to our prospectors and miners:
"To the right and east is Crested
Butte mountain, an eruptive mass of
quartz porphyry, with horizontal ere
taceous shales at its base. Beyond it is
the road going over to East River and
Gothic mountain, the latter being in a
direct northeast and south west line
with Crested Butte mountain by eth
er a dixie or overflow. Opposite Goth
ic Copper creek runs up to Whiterock
mountain, one of the centers OF oferuption
Its huge dome of ashcn grey eruptive
diorite is thrust up through the sedi-
mentary strata, and rolls them back
all around it like sheets of cloth or
paper. Opposite Whiterock mountain
is the Sylvanite mountain and mine,
particularly rich in wire and native
silver, in iissure vein. There is q
whole group OF mines here located on
assure veins in eruptive rock, having
general northwest and southeast di-
yrection. Continueing up East river to
the north east of our sketch is Bal
dy mountain, Il near relation of Goth
ic mountain and Belleview, leading on
to the Snow Mass group, in the Rock
creek direction. This is another erup-
/ tive "focus." Between Whiterock and
Snow Mass as centres of disturbances
the strata are folded back, reversed
and taulted along a line OF fracturt.
Dikes and igneous overfiows occur, and
a general metamorphism has taken
place; hence we have on Rock creek
coal changes to anthracite, limestone
into some of the fncsts white marble
we have ever seen in America, and
said to exist over'a considerable area
aud thickness. Anthracite and natural
coke also occur where dixie o!
lava has intruded the coal strata.
The development Of these important
deposits await only a railway to make
them accessible to market. The mar
bic is likely to he of particular impor-
tance in the west. All these phenome-
ma are heat products incident to the
eruptive overAows, and possibly also
from the mechanical heat produced by
the friction of violently folded rocks in
the course of mountain making"
1t will be seen by the foregoing
that this district is in the center Of
uphcaval of the Elk Mountains, which
has made the backbone OF the range a
great mineral belt and is known to
contain vast stores Of mineral wealth.
There is to be found silver bearing
ores of all characters and large
quantities Of iron ore of superior
quality along with cur marble ledge
which is of great Importance to us and |
can be pointed to with pride as one OF
Colorado's future resources that will be
distributed Thought the west as soon
as the roilroads reach their arms up in
this district, which will not be long in
coming as the Midland has but little
,ver thirty miles to grade in order
to : each these parts.